Return to the mixes

Return to the Mixes is a look back at compositions from New Time Music. With a collection spanning over 400 pieces there are always going to be mixes that are missed. This look back on the tracks and compositions will also go into some detail as to how the track was produced. Some of the wonderful sounds used on these pieces stem from real life recordings to Virtual Instruments.

There is no doubt that software sequencing has revolutionised music production. When first starting out recording I remember how a four track would have been considered serious kit. Gone where limitations (or at least that’s what we were led to believe in the beginning) with it came freedom to express ones individual artistic feelings. Couple this with the ever growing internet and the true out of the bedroom label was alive once more, something not seen in the UK since the early days of Rave and the synonymous mix tapes .

Some of the classic pieces of must have software have all come along way. One of the most notable of these is propellerheads Reason. Through people that I was working with at the time, I was fortunate enough to have been given the freedom of a beta version of Reason. Knowing and understanding the possibilities of the programs claims, I was just itching to get it loaded. Once over the pain of inserting the CD each time I booted up Reason (hard drive space was scarce then) the next reality check came in the shape of insufficient processor power. In truth the PC power was until recently a constant battle between creativity desires and the reality of the PC’s capabilities. Some of the early mixes that I’ll cover where almost production miracles, but necessary learning curves needed to understand both the PC and the software used to create these mixes. Composed on a PC, with latency of around 750ms (running through DirectX that was notoriously unstable) it was more than a 400 Hz PC could cope with if more than 4 tracks ran simultaneously with the barest of colouring effects as additions. The only way to overcome this was to render the four tracks into one, and carry on from there. This approach wasn’t that different to the Quasimidi Quasar Sessions when working with a PR-100 in place of a software sequencer

The sonic qualities of the final recordings are mixed for obvious reasons but the compositions themselves where very good. Subsequently as the technology has caught up with the software’s capabilities all of these techniques have long been disregarded. Ironically (with a few exceptions) the techniques acquired in studios when only hardware was available have begun to become standard practices when working with software

Well on with the dissection of the collection (melodically speaking)